Seed-corn stringer



M. L. SHAFFER.

SEED CORN STRINGER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 8,1918.

1 32,766. Patented Mar. 2,1920.

SHAFFER, OF CAS'IANA, IOWA.

SEED-CORN STRINGER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

Application filed July 8, 1918. Serial No. 243,741.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MERLE L. SHAFFER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Castana, in the county of Monona, State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Seed-Corn Stringers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. I

This invention relates to improvements in devices for stringing seed corn.

One object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved device of this character whereby the operator can operate the device and thus have his hands free to place the ears of corn on the strings.

Another object is to provide a novel and improved device of this character which is simple in construction, easy and effective in operation, and which can be manufactured at a comparatively low cost.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the device in operative position and with several ears of corn disposed between the strings.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the device showing the arms moved to cross the strings over the ear just placed between the strings.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Referring particularly to the accompanying drawing, 10 represents a horizontal beam member which is adapted to be secured to any suitable support, and at the proper distance above the floor. Pivotally mounted on this beam member 10, adjacent the ends thereof, are the depending arms 11. Rigidly secured to the lower end of each of the arms is a transverse member 12, said member being disposed at right angles to the end of the arm and projecting a suitable distance beyond each side thereof. Secured to the outer ends of the members 12 and to the ends of the beam member are the coil springs 13 which normally hold the members apart, as will be more clearly pointed out hereinafter. On the inner end of each of the members 12 is a horizontally disposed arcuate member 14, the upper portion of each of the arms of which is formed with a notch 15 for the intermediate or bight portion of a cord 16. As clearly seen in the drawing, these strings depend from the arcuate members and are secured at their lower ends, as at 17, where by an ear of corn may be laid so as to lie between the strings of the two arcuate members. Connected to the outer ends of the transverse members 12 are the ends of a depending cord or rope 18, on which the operator places his foot, and by a downward pressure thereon, draws the arms 11 toward each other. When the arms 'move toward each other the arcuate members pass, whereby the strings of one member will be crossed with respect to the other strings, and thus the ear of corn securely held therebetween.

It will thusbe seen that when the arms 11 are in normal position the upper ends of the strings will be disposed in such position that the ear of corn can be easily placed therebetween, and when the rope is depressed the arms 11 will be moved so as to cross the strings and engage around the ear of corn. Thus the operator will have free use of both hands in placing the ears of corn between,

the strings, and also to manipulate the strings should they become tangled, or should any other matter need attention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a seed corn stringer the combination with a support, of depending inverted T-shaped arms pivoted on the support and having string carrying means on their inner ends, resilient means for swinging the arms away from each other, and depending depressible foot operated means carried by the T-shaped members for moving the arms toward each other.

2. In a seed corn stringer, the combination with a support, of depending arms carried by the support, transverse heads fixed to the outer ends of the arms and movable with the arms, said heads having string supporting means, springs connected to the outer ends' of the heads and to the support for moving the arms and heads away from each other, and a flexible member connected at its ends to the outer ends of the heads and depending therefrom for depression by the foot of the operator to move the pivoted arms and heads toward each other.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

MERLE L. SHAFFER.

Witnesses:

JosEPHC. PEIIFER, ORLO SHAFFER. 

